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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. snap — to click
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mark — a grade
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bark — to shout
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mark — to pay attention

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