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: kick · perch · fan · cap · bark · bear · foot · pound

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. cap — a lid
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bark — to shout
  24. kick — in football

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