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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. pound — a weight
  6. staff — employees
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pass — a permit
  10. staff — employees
  11. perch — the fish
  12. last — final
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — finally
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. last — to go on
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. kid — to tease

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