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 116 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. capital — money
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pop — soda
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pop — music
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pop — to visit
  12. kid — child
  13. capital — a city
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. tube — a container
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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