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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. field — a subject
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. prune — to trim
  9. firm — a company
  10. field — for sport
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bear — the animal
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — thin
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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