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 120 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: cap · cabinet · chip · bass · press · perch · sharp · spring

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spring — a coil
  4. perch — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. press — to push
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cap — a hat
  11. spring — of water
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — for betting
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. sharp — clever
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spring — the season
  21. cap — of ice
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chip — to eat

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