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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. spring — a coil
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. track — a song
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. spring — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tear — to rip
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. band — a music group
  13. roll — a cake
  14. tear — from crying
  15. roll — a list
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. spring — the season
  20. tear — from crying
  21. track — to keep track
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — on a roll
  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