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: suit · saw · object · ground · content · pound · pop · tube

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — a position
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ground — the earth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pop — soda
  12. content — the amount
  13. tube — a container
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. content — happy
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pop — music
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pound — a weight

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