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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bound — tied together
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. scale — in music
  10. perch — the fish
  11. scale — size or range
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — to drill
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stem — to come from
  21. branch — a division
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bound — certain
  24. stem — of a plant

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