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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — all right
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rash — a series
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fine — high quality
  11. firm — a company
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. key — in music
  16. firm — decided
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. present — there
  20. chair — a leader
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — the time now

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