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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — to be able to
  7. file — a document
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. can — a tin
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. file — a tool
  15. pound — a weight
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. prune — to trim
  23. snap — to click
  24. file — a line of people

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