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: pound · bear · vault · perch · fork · march · fine · game

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. game — a match
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fine — all right
  12. bear — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. march — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. vault — a safe
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bear — to put up with

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