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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. current — electric
  4. content — the amount
  5. hand — in cards
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. current — happening now
  10. object — to protest
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. vault — a safe
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. mate — to breed
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mate — a friend
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mate — a partner
  24. content — happy

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