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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bark — to shout
  3. spell — letters
  4. mate — a friend
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mate — a partner
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. net — in sport
  14. spell — magic
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — after costs
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — a safe
  24. net — for catching

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