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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. press — a publisher
  4. charge — a price
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. band — a ring
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — steady
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. hand — help
  13. firm — decided
  14. charge — in control
  15. hand — in cards
  16. charge — electricity
  17. press — to push
  18. band — a music group
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. firm — a company
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wind — moving air
  24. press — newspapers

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