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: pop · march · stem · pound · bay · tube · wake · roll

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. march — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tube — a container
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. roll — a list
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. march — the month
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pop — soda
  24. pound — to hit hard

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