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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pound — a weight
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pop — soda
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. snap — to click
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. can — a tin

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