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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. squash — to crush
  7. date — the fruit
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. staff — employees
  12. kid — to tease
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kid — child
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — a thing

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