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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cell — in biology
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. firm — a company
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stand — to bear
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — decided
  12. cell — a phone
  13. sharp — clever
  14. current — of water
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. current — electric
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — steady
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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