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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. field — for sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — to recline
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mark — a grade
  8. staff — employees
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. field — a subject
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. row — a line
  16. field — farmland
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. row — a quarrel

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