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 120 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: pound · file · mark · rock · wake · kick · fine · tube

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fine — all right
  3. tube — the underground
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. kick — in football
  15. file — a tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mark — a trace
  18. file — a document
  19. tube — a container
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fine — high quality
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rock — music

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