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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. band — a ring
  3. bound — certain
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. present — there
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — tied together
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — to crush

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