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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wound — an injury
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — music
  21. rule — government
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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