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: squash · charge · perch · cabinet · field · bowl · plane · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. field — a subject
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. squash — the sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. perch — the fish
  14. field — for sport
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — in control
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  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