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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — a price
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — an aim
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. object — a thing
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — in music
  10. field — farmland
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. field — a subject
  14. scale — size or range
  15. field — for sport
  16. mug — a face
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — to rob
  20. charge — in control
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pound — a weight
  23. object — to protest
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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