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: wave · squash · fine · track · drill · sharp · foot · current

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fine — all right
  3. track — a path
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. drill — the tool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. track — to keep track
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. drill — army training
  14. current — of water
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — a measure
  18. sharp — clever
  19. current — electric
  20. drill — a practice
  21. squash — the sport
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. track — a song
  24. fine — high quality

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