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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. last — to go on
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. charge — electricity
  5. net — in sport
  6. charge — in control
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. net — after costs
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. field — a subject
  15. net — for catching
  16. charge — a price
  17. field — farmland
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. scale — in music
  24. field — for sport

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