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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bound — certain
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. spell — letters
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pop — music
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bound — tied together
  19. spell — magic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stock — shares
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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