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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. file — a tool
  6. pop — soda
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mate — a partner
  13. file — a document
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mate — a friend
  16. file — a line of people
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. press — to push
  21. pop — music
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pound — for dogs

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