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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — a company
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bass — low music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. firm — decided
  15. ground — the earth
  16. firm — steady
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ground — a position
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bass — the fish

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