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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pound — a weight
  3. lie — to recline
  4. can — a tin
  5. spring — of water
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. net — for catching
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bass — low music
  14. shower — rain
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. net — in sport
  18. spring — a coil
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — after costs
  22. shower — to wash
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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