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: staff · bear · bank · pound · bass · stand · hide · spring

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spring — of water
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. spring — the season
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stand — to bear
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bear — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — on your feet

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