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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pound — a weight
  7. court — of law
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — to keep track
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of a king
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a path
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. court — for sport
  24. track — a song

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