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: pop · temple · lash · perch · pound · net · snap · pitch

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. snap — to click
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pop — music
  8. net — after costs
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pitch — completely
  13. net — for catching
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pop — to visit
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — soda
  24. lash — an eyelash

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