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 120 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 was this ________________ built?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. row — a line
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. march — music
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. march — the month
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — a weight
  21. prune — to trim
  22. march — the month
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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