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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chip — for betting
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cue — for pool
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wind — moving air
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pound — a weight
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lean — thin
  24. perch — for a bird

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