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 120 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: sharp · craft · cue · file · fall · bay · pitcher · hand

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cue — a hint
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cue — for pool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. file — a tool
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hand — help
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. craft — a skill
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. file — a document
  22. craft — boats
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fall — the season

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