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: racket · date · pound · safe · wound · present · deal · bark

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — to handle
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pound — a weight
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — there
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. present — a gift
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bark — to shout
  24. safe — out of danger

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