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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bass — the fish
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pound — a weight
  12. kick — in football
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mug — a face
  15. capital — a city
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — low music
  18. capital — money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. roll — a list

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