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: key · sharp · face · perch · ball · bound · deal · wound

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bound — obliged
  4. face — part of the head
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bound — certain
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. face — to confront
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. key — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — to handle
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bound — tied together
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wound — an injury

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