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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. field — for sport
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — the tool
  7. field — a subject
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fork — in a road
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. field — farmland
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. row — a line
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — a trace
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. row — to paddle

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