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 116 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. perch — the fish
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. firm — decided
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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