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 116 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. shower — rain
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. band — a ring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. shower — to wash
  20. band — a music group
  21. mate — to breed
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pound — a weight

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