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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pop — to visit
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stock — goods
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pop — music
  18. field — a subject
  19. stock — shares
  20. field — farmland
  21. pop — soda
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. drill — army training

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