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: pitcher · pound · temple · rock · pop · saw · season · staff

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pop — soda
  12. staff — employees
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pop — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pound — a weight
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. season — of the year
  24. pitcher — a jug

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