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: sharp · wound · mine · fine · staff · current · date · wave

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fine — all right
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. date — the fruit
  5. current — of water
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mine — for digging
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — electric
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. staff — employees
  22. fine — high quality
  23. current — happening now
  24. fine — a penalty

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