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: bear · cap · lie · pop · wake · pound · rock · coach

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rock — music
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pop — music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pop — soda
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pound — for dogs

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