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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bank — for money
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cold — not warm
  13. band — a music group
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. band — a ring
  18. swing — music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. craft — boats
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ball — a great time

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