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: pop · pound · mate · squash · cue · band

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. 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. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pound — a weight
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pop — to visit
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pop — soda
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cue — a signal
  14. band — a ring
  15. squash — to crush
  16. band — a music group
  17. pop — music
  18. 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