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: nail · present · mouse · sharp · mate · root · deal · hide

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. present — there
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mate — to breed
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — the time now
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. present — a gift
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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