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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. last — to go on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — final
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. last — finally
  16. wound — an injury
  17. swing — to play on
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. staff — a stick
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pit — in a race

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