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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. key — the most important part
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. mug — a cup
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. file — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mug — a face
  17. chair — a leader
  18. file — a document
  19. lie — to recline
  20. swing — in golf
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. key — in music
  24. deal — to handle

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