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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — a face
  5. pound — a weight
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. spell — letters
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. spring — of water
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mug — to rob
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. can — a tin

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