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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. object — an aim
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mug — a cup
  5. face — part of the head
  6. object — to protest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. face — to confront
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. club — for golf
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mug — a face
  17. scale — size or range
  18. object — a thing
  19. scale — in music
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. club — a group

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