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: foot · wind · sharp · firm · kid · mouse · snap · racket

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. wind — moving air
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — steady
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wind — moving air
  17. snap — to click
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. sharp — clever

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