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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — obliged
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lie — to recline
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — certain
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — of a plant

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