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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pop — music
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pop — soda
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pop — to visit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — in control

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