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: net · mug · face · pound · kid · track · ruler · wave

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. net — in sport
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. face — to point toward
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. face — to confront
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pound — a weight
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — after costs
  16. mug — to rob
  17. track — a song
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. track — a path
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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