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 · ruler · march · vault · pitch · date · mouse · pound

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. sharp — clever
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitch — completely
  22. vault — a safe
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pitch — a sports field

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