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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pound — a weight
  4. roll — a cake
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. march — music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. scale — size or range
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — the month
  17. ball — a dance
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ball — a great time
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. roll — a list
  23. march — the month
  24. scale — in music

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