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: stock · row · perch · mug · key · fork · pound · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. key — in music
  11. chest — a box
  12. mug — a face
  13. key — for a lock
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stock — shares
  17. row — a line
  18. pound — a weight
  19. row — to paddle
  20. key — the most important part
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stock — goods
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. perch — for a bird

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