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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. net — for catching
  4. band — a music group
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — of ice
  8. band — a ring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cap — a hat
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cap — a lid
  18. craft — boats

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