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 120 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: foot · temple · wind · bark · pitch · shower · pop · firm

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wind — moving air
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. firm — a company
  7. pitch — completely
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pop — soda
  11. shower — to wash
  12. firm — steady
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pop — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. shower — rain

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