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: stick · roll · stand · key · toast · rush · kid · pound

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. kid — to tease
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. kid — child
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. key — in music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — for a lock
  20. toast — bread
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stand — for spectators

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