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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stock — shares
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pop — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. press — a publisher
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. file — a line of people
  15. press — to push
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — newspapers
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. file — a document
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stock — goods
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stock — a soup base

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