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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. capital — a city
  6. bulb — for light
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pass — a permit
  19. capital — money
  20. fine — all right
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. foot — a measure

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