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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mug — a cup
  4. band — a ring
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mug — a face
  11. press — to push
  12. chip — for betting
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tear — from crying
  16. perch — the fish
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. band — a music group

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