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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — to protest
  8. current — happening now
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. pound — to hit hard

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