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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cue — a signal
  19. shower — rain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. shower — to wash

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