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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. file — a document
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. current — electric
  13. mate — a partner
  14. file — a tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. file — a line of people
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. current — of water
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — in music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. straw — dry grass

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