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 · jam · pitcher · face · bowl · spell · foot · board

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. face — part of the head
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spell — letters
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — a committee
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. face — to confront
  21. board — to get on
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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