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 120 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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. band — a ring
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lean — to bend
  12. band — a music group
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear

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