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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. band — a music group
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hand — help
  10. stand — to bear
  11. band — a ring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ruler — for measuring

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