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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mine — for digging
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wind — moving air
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fall — the season
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wind — moving air

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