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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mug — a face
  3. bank — for money
  4. file — a document
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bulb — for light
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. chair — a leader
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mug — to rob
  12. kid — child
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a tool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bank — for money
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mug — a cup
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chair — a professorship

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