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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · content · pound · lie · fork · key · row · season

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. season — in sport
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. season — of the year
  6. fork — in a road
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. row — a line
  14. content — happy
  15. pound — a weight
  16. content — the amount
  17. key — for a lock
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. key — in music
  24. lie — an untruth

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