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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. band — a ring
  4. march — music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. perch — the fish
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a music group
  13. march — the month
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. march — the month
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — with your hand

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