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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. season — in sport
  3. mug — to rob
  4. season — of the year
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pound — a weight
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mug — a face
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hand — help
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mouse — the animal

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