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: bear · racket · pound · kid · straw · wax · wind · bore

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kid — child
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. racket — a loud noise

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