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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spring — the season
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. can — to be able to
  5. firm — steady
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — an injury
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — low music
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — decided
  14. bass — the fish
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. firm — a company
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. can — a tin
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pound — to hit hard

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