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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. net — in sport
  3. row — a line
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. march — music
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. row — to paddle
  9. ground — a position
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. ground — the earth
  15. march — the month
  16. net — for catching
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — crushed
  22. march — the month
  23. pound — a weight
  24. net — after costs

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