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 120 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 · pitch · squash · row · object · bay · leaves · fork

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — a weight
  3. row — to paddle
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. object — to protest
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. object — a thing
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. object — an aim
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — a line
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. leaves — to go away

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