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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. kid — child
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mark — a trace
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. kid — to tease

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