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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — to drill
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. race — a contest
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bark — to shout
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. calf — of the leg

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