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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ground — the earth
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — a container
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fine — all right
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pound — a weight
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fine — high quality

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