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: saw · pound · rush · current · sharp · wake · bound · ball

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rush — hurry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pound — a weight
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. ball — a great time
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. current — happening now
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. current — electric
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. current — of water
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bound — tied together

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