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: mark · foot · prune · march · stand · wave · pound · field

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. field — for sport
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. field — a subject
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mark — a trace
  11. march — the month
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a grade
  24. field — farmland

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