ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. perch — the fish
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitch — completely
  15. club — for golf
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com