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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — a face
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. row — a line
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fork — in a road
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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