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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. roll — a list
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pop — to visit
  8. net — after costs
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. suit — in cards
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fine — all right
  13. net — for catching
  14. pop — music
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pound — a weight
  18. net — in sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. spring — the season
  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