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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. march — music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pop — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. march — the month
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pop — soda
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — a face
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. clip — to cut
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. clip — a video
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. march — the month
  24. cabinet — ministers

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