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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. kick — in football
  6. current — electric
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. degree — an amount
  10. fork — in a road
  11. degree — from a university
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — happening now
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — of water
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — temperature

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