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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. tube — a container
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. tube — the underground
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — a strongbox

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