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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. row — a line
  4. field — farmland
  5. mug — a cup
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stem — to come from
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mark — a trace
  13. field — for sport
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stem — a stem cell

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