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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — in football
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. kid — child
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fall — the season
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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