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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. snap — to click
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. capital — a city
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. capital — money
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rest — a break
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — what's left
  20. sharp — clever
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. deal — a big deal

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