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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. board — to get on
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. kid — to tease
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fork — in a road
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. kid — child
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. prune — to trim
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. board — a committee
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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