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: sharp · pitcher · spring · bowl · charge · ruler · snap · nail

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — electricity
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. snap — to click
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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