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: rush · pop · straw · mouse · pound · present · charge · staff

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. staff — employees
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pop — music
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. charge — a price
  13. staff — employees
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. present — there
  17. charge — in control
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pound — a weight
  23. present — a gift
  24. rush — a thrill

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