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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. date — the fruit
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — a trail
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. can — a tin
  16. cue — a hint
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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