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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. firm — steady
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wax — to grow
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ground — the earth
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. firm — decided
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. ground — a position
  21. firm — a company
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pound — a weight
  24. dip — a sauce

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