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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — thin
  4. present — there
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. present — a gift
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — the time now
  11. net — in sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ball — a great time
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a dance

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