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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · kid · mouse · sharp · bound · pass · snap · scale

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. snap — to click
  5. bound — certain
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. kid — to tease
  10. wound — an injury
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bound — tied together
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wound — an injury
  16. scale — size or range
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bound — obliged
  21. kid — child
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — in music

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