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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. prune — to trim
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. charge — a price
  16. fall — the season
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — electricity
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. staff — a stick
  24. calf — a young 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