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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pound — a weight
  8. suit — clothes
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. staff — employees
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — decided
  15. file — a document
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. staff — a stick
  19. file — a tool
  20. firm — steady
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. staff — employees
  23. file — a line of people
  24. firm — a company

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