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: firm · board · kick · rash · prune · pound · scale · stick

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. scale — in music
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. firm — decided
  10. rash — a series
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. scale — size or range
  18. board — to get on
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rash — hasty

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