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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. scale — in music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — to come from
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pitch — completely
  24. deal — to handle

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