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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. present — there
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pop — soda
  6. rock — music
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. fine — all right
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pop — music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. row — a line
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. mug — a face
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mug — to rob

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