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: patient · wake · object · fan · bank · pound · mate · squash

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. object — an aim
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. object — a thing
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bank — for money
  8. mate — to breed
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — to protest
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pound — a weight
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. squash — the sport
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — a trail
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mate — a partner

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