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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rush — hurry

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