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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fine — all right
  4. field — for sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. firm — decided
  13. field — a subject
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fine — high quality
  18. firm — steady
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. firm — a company
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bass — low music
  24. field — farmland

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