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: stand · key · pit · saw · row · pound · sharp · ball

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ball — a dance
  7. row — a line
  8. pit — in a race
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — in music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pound — a weight
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. row — to paddle
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pit — a hole

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