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: bound · pop · row · pound · fan · temple · march · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pop — soda
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. march — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — music
  24. bound — certain

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