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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rash — a series
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — for pool
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rule — government
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. charge — in control
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pound — to hit hard

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