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: staff · bear · pitch · spring · rock · lash · pound · leaves

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pitch — completely
  9. spring — a coil
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rock — music
  15. spring — the season
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. spring — of water

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