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: stick · sharp · racket · press · firm · march · ruler · game

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. press — newspapers
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. press — to push
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — a publisher
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — a company
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — steady
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. game — wild animals
  23. march — the month
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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