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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fall — the season
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — for money
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bat — the animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. current — happening now
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fall — to drop
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — music
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tear — from crying
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. current — electric
  24. bank — of a river

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