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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mug — to rob
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lean — thin
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — certain
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. sharp — clever
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. sharp — exactly

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