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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. net — after costs
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. swing — music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. net — for catching
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. swing — to play on
  23. row — a line
  24. plane — a tool

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