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 124 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. last — to go on
  4. squash — to crush
  5. last — finally
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — hurry
  13. last — final
  14. charge — a price
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. squash — the sport
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. track — a song

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