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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. band — a ring
  12. fall — the season
  13. band — a music group
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. row — a line
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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