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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cell — a phone
  18. club — for golf
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. club — a group
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mark — a trace

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