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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ground — crushed
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bound — certain
  9. ground — the earth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bound — tied together
  15. club — a group
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ground — a position
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — a weight
  22. club — for dancing
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — for golf

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