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: field · pound · current · temple · capital · snap · toast · court

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. field — a subject
  4. court — for sport
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. court — of law
  8. field — for sport
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. court — of a king
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — bread
  16. current — electric
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. current — of water
  21. capital — a city
  22. snap — to click
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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