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: season · wake · ball · sharp · temple · craft · row · lean

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lean — thin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lean — to bend
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. craft — boats
  18. row — to paddle
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lean — to rest against

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