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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. current — happening now
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. season — in sport
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. mark — a trace
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. spring — the season
  18. season — of the year
  19. current — of water
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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