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: mouse · pound · scale · toast · roll · tube · pass · bound

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. scale — in music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pass — a permit
  21. scale — size or range
  22. tube — a container
  23. bound — tied together
  24. tube — the underground

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