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: sharp · leaves · pass · fan · rock · nail · hide · pop

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pop — music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — to visit
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pass — a permit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — soda
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. sharp — with an edge

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