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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. sharp — clever
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fall — the season
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fall — to drop
  24. sharp — with an edge

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