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

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rest — a break
  4. rash — a series
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. squash — to crush
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — what's left
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. hide — to keep secret

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