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: bound · scale · sharp · bulb · can · ground · bank · clip

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bound — tied together
  4. clip — a video
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. can — a tin
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ground — the earth
  14. clip — for paper
  15. scale — size or range
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — a position
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — of a plant

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