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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — of water
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. current — happening now
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bark — to shout
  10. current — electric
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wound — an injury
  15. scale — in music
  16. track — a path
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. track — a song
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. track — to keep track

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