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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pound — a weight
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. object — a thing
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. capital — a city
  13. object — an aim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — to rob
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. capital — money
  23. chest — a box
  24. object — to protest

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