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 116 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: scale · drill · fan · fine · spell · pound · pop · net

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. spell — letters
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. drill — army training
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pop — music
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fine — high quality
  16. net — for catching
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — magic
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pop — soda
  24. scale — in music

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