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: race · jam · tear · ball · temple · fine · wave · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fine — high quality
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. race — a contest
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fine — all right
  13. race — the arms race
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tear — from crying
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. race — humankind
  20. sharp — clever
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. tear — to rip

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