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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. court — of a king
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. band — a music group
  9. charge — a price
  10. band — a ring
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. degree — temperature
  13. court — for sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — a trace
  16. degree — from a university
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — an amount
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. charge — in control
  21. court — of law
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — a weight

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