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: net · march · safe · row · content · charge · pound · mark

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. march — the month
  2. mark — a grade
  3. content — the amount
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — music
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. net — for catching
  8. content — happy
  9. mark — a trace
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. net — after costs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. row — to paddle
  18. net — in sport
  19. charge — a price
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. charge — in control
  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