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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bear — the animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. pop — to visit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. club — a group
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pop — music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pop — soda
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mark — a grade

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