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: leaves · squash · sharp · foot · bank · wave · snap · craft

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. snap — to click
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. squash — the sport
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. foot — a measure
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — to crush
  19. craft — boats
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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