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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bound — tied together
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bound — obliged
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bound — certain
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pound — a weight
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. roll — a cake
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lean — thin
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tube — a container
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. roll — a list
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. temple — side of the head

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