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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rash — a series
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. content — the amount
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. content — happy
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rush — a thrill

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