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: pound · scale · rush · prune · bound · face · stock · arm

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bound — certain
  5. stock — goods
  6. bound — tied together
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bound — obliged
  12. face — to confront
  13. prune — to trim
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stock — shares
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. face — part of the head
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. scale — in music
  24. rush — to hurry

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