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 · kick · mark · press · kid · calf · fine · band

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. press — to push
  3. band — a ring
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. press — a publisher
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kid — child
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. band — a music group
  14. pound — a weight
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kick — in football
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — a trace
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fine — all right

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