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: sharp · ball · wave · kid · march · wind · pass · fork

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. sharp — clever
  3. march — music
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. fork — in a road
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. march — the month
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. march — the month
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kid — child

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