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 116 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: tear · present · sharp · key · cabinet · racket · march · chip

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. march — music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. key — in music
  12. tear — from crying
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chip — for betting
  15. tear — to rip
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — a gift
  18. chip — to eat
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. key — for a lock
  21. present — there
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. present — the time now

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