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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pound — a weight
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — to wash
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mate — a friend
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — rain

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