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: perch · spell · court · chair · face · deal · stand · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stand — to bear
  6. deal — to handle
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chair — a leader
  13. court — of a king
  14. spell — letters
  15. court — for sport
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spell — magic
  18. court — of law
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pound — a weight
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. perch — the fish
  24. spell — a short time

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