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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. season — of the year
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — army training
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mate — a partner
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mate — to breed
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wake — a trail
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mate — a friend
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. season — in sport

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