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 · hide · branch · rash · pound · calf · field · object

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. field — farmland
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pop — soda
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pop — to visit
  10. object — an aim
  11. branch — a division
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — a series
  19. object — a thing
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. field — for sport
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pound — a weight
  24. object — to protest

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