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: swing · toast · row · stock · scale · season · fine · pound

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. swing — to play on
  3. season — in sport
  4. pound — a weight
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. row — to paddle
  13. season — of the year
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. row — a line
  18. toast — bread
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. scale — in music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stock — shares

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