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 120 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 · snap · tube · perch · bowl · track · leaves · patient

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pound — a weight
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. perch — the fish
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. tube — a container
  22. snap — to click
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. track — to keep track

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