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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. present — a gift
  7. club — for golf
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. club — a group
  11. ball — a dance
  12. present — there
  13. pop — soda
  14. present — the time now
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. deal — to handle

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