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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. object — an aim
  7. squash — the sport
  8. object — a thing
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. squash — to crush
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — size or range
  18. object — to protest
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rock — a stone
  23. scale — in music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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