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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. file — a line of people
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. board — to get on
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. file — a tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — a contest
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. file — a document
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. race — humankind
  18. board — a committee

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