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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — a measure
  5. craft — boats
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. content — happy
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. content — the amount
  19. craft — a skill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. mouse — the animal

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