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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. object — to protest
  6. firm — a company
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pound — a weight
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. swing — music
  14. firm — decided
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. deal — to handle
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. firm — steady
  22. swing — to play on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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