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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. craft — boats
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mug — to rob
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a face
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pound — a weight
  11. craft — a skill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rash — a series
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. dip — to sink
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rule — a law
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rule — government

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