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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — a price
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. hand — help
  7. charge — in control
  8. march — music
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. face — to point toward
  16. march — the month
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — to confront
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bark — to shout
  23. charge — electricity
  24. can — a tin

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