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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bat — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. spell — magic
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bark — to shout
  17. fork — in a road
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — letters
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cue — for pool

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