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: leaves · degree · fall · pound · suit · track · mug · kid

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fall — to drop
  3. degree — from a university
  4. track — to keep track
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fall — the season
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. mug — a face
  12. kid — to tease
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kid — child
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. degree — an amount
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — in cards
  23. track — a song
  24. mug — to rob

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