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

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — for betting
  5. degree — temperature
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — to eat
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rock — music
  10. rash — hasty
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — a series
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wound — an injury
  15. band — a music group
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. can — a tin
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. degree — an amount
  24. band — a ring

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