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: pitch · nail · pound · tear · mouse · perch · bass · bark

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — low music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pitch — completely
  24. tear — from crying

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