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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wound — an injury
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wound — an injury
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. snap — to click
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — to handle

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