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 · bay · racket · plane · chip · jam · pitch · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chip — for betting
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. field — farmland
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — a subject
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. field — for sport
  15. chip — to eat
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — in a computer

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