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 116 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: wake · fall · squash · hand · dip · sharp · key · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hand — in cards
  4. wake — a trail
  5. key — in music
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. hand — help
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. key — the most important part
  24. squash — the vegetable

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