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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stand — to bear
  10. land — a country
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. content — happy
  14. swing — to play on
  15. content — the amount
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. land — ground
  18. foot — a measure
  19. land — to come down
  20. swing — in golf
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pound — a weight

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