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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. tube — a container
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rock — music

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