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 · fall · roll · date · can · ruler · stick · content

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — the amount
  6. fall — to drop
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — happy
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. can — a tin
  16. fall — the season
  17. date — the fruit
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — a list
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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