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: firm · band · mouse · ground · cabinet · squash · capital · pound

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. firm — steady
  7. capital — money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. firm — decided
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — a position
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. squash — to crush
  18. band — a music group
  19. capital — a city
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a ring
  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