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: rush · fan · saw · pound · kick · mug · tube · band

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. tube — a container
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. band — a ring
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tube — the underground
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. band — a music group
  23. tube — in a tire
  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