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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pound — a weight
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — for betting
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. dip — to sink
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — to eat
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. coach — a trainer

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