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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. cue — a hint
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. plane — a tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tear — to rip
  14. court — of law
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. court — for sport
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. court — of a king
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tear — from crying
  24. perch — the fish

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