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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pound — a weight
  3. net — after costs
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. net — for catching
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. present — the time now
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. present — a gift
  14. foot — a measure
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. lean — to bend
  18. net — in sport

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