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: toast · mark · net · lie · wake · capital · pound · present

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. toast — bread
  3. capital — money
  4. wake — a trail
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. net — in sport
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. capital — a city
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. present — there
  20. mark — a grade
  21. net — after costs
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. net — for catching

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