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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. firm — decided
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. present — a gift
  6. sharp — clever
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — the underground
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cap — a lid
  18. firm — steady
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — there
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — of ice

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