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: net · ground · coach · lean · mate · sharp · scale · fork

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. net — for catching
  3. fork — in a road
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lean — thin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ground — the earth
  9. net — after costs
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ground — a position
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mate — a partner
  15. sharp — clever
  16. scale — in music
  17. net — in sport
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lean — to bend
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — with an edge

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