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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lean — thin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bat — the animal
  11. land — a country
  12. swing — in golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. land — ground
  16. swing — music
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. land — to come down
  24. ruler — a monarch

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