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: charge · wind · vault · pound · spring · foot · mark · rush

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. foot — a measure
  3. spring — the season
  4. charge — in control
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mark — a trace
  15. charge — a price
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pound — a weight
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — to hurry

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