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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pound — a weight
  3. firm — a company
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stock — goods
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fall — the season
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — decided
  13. hand — help
  14. stock — shares
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. court — of law
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. court — for sport
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. court — of a king
  24. firm — steady

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