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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rock — music
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. root — of a word
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. race — humankind
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wound — an injury
  15. root — the cause
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rock — a stone
  24. perch — for a bird

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