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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. game — a match
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. clip — a video
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. key — in music
  14. clip — for paper
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. clip — to cut
  17. stand — to bear
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. key — the most important part
  24. foot — the bottom

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