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: snap · ball · mark · bulb · kid · chip · sharp · lean

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lean — thin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chip — for betting
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kid — child
  24. mark — a trace

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