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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a dance
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ball — a great time
  6. field — for sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. field — a subject
  14. face — to confront
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. field — farmland
  24. bore — gave birth

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