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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. court — of a king
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. firm — steady
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — decided
  14. court — of law
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. season — in sport
  18. scale — in music
  19. face — to confront
  20. scale — size or range
  21. face — to point toward
  22. court — for sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stem — to come from

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