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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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 — for dogs
  3. drill — army training
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rush — hurry
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — a weight
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. staff — a stick
  14. snap — to click
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. drill — the tool

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