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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bear — the animal
  8. field — a subject
  9. season — in sport
  10. field — for sport
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. field — farmland
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mine — for digging
  24. chip — for betting

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