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 124 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rash — hasty
  6. season — of the year
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chest — a box
  15. rest — a break
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. net — for catching
  21. rash — a series
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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