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: pound · hand · tube · pass · wind · club · current · pit

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pound — a weight
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. current — electric
  21. tube — a container
  22. club — a group
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pit — in a race

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