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: pound · bank · mate · bark · object · hand · net · stick

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. net — for catching
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. object — a thing
  6. mate — to breed
  7. net — in sport
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. net — after costs
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — help
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. object — an aim
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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