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 124 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mate — to breed
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rule — a law
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — certain
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rule — government
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bound — obliged
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mate — a friend

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