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: lean · spring · stick · pound · bark · row · arm · pit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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. pit — in a race
  4. spring — of water
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. row — a line
  7. bark — to shout
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — thin
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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