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: key · wake · pound · file · racket · stand · bowl · sharp

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. key — in music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stand — to bear
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — for a lock
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. key — the most important part
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pound — for dogs

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