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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. spell — letters
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — of a river
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bank — for money
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — to play on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spell — magic
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spell — a short time
  19. dip — to sink
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bank — for money
  22. swing — in golf
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pound — to hit hard

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