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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. current — electric
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. current — happening now
  6. tear — from crying
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. tear — to rip
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stand — to bear
  16. charge — in control
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. charge — a price
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. squash — to crush
  21. current — of water
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. charge — electricity
  24. tear — from crying

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