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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — a container
  8. capital — a city
  9. file — a line of people
  10. capital — money
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. file — a tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. file — a document
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. firm — steady
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. firm — decided
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rush — hurry
  24. tube — the underground

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