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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — a weight
  7. saw — the tool
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. staff — employees
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. staff — a stick
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cell — a phone
  24. suit — to fit

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