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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fine — all right
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — high quality
  10. roll — a cake
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — a weight
  14. snap — to click
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. tear — from crying
  21. roll — a list
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rock — music

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