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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pound — a weight
  3. object — a thing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. object — to protest
  10. march — music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. march — the month
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — an aim
  18. lean — thin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. march — the month
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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