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: jam · pop · pound · mug · bat · toast · foot · spell

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. spell — magic
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — soda
  7. mug — a cup
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. toast — bread
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mug — a face
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — a weight
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. spell — letters
  23. pop — music
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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