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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. court — of a king
  11. cue — a hint
  12. court — of law
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bat — the animal
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a document
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cue — for pool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cue — a signal
  24. court — for sport

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