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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · present · charge · leaves · race · foot

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. pound — a weight
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. race — a contest
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. race — humankind
  14. foot — a measure
  15. race — the arms race
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. foot — the bottom

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