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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bore — to drill
  6. last — finally
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — government
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pound — a weight

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