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: bear · firm · deal · pop · key · bark · pound · capital

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — steady
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. firm — a company
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bear — the animal
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. key — for a lock
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pop — soda
  17. capital — a city
  18. bark — to shout
  19. key — the most important part
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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