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

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — soda
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — music
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — to visit

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