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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mug — a face
  7. rule — government
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — to rob
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rule — a law
  24. row — a quarrel

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