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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mate — a friend
  3. march — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hand — help
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stock — shares
  8. band — a ring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. band — a music group
  13. march — the month
  14. stock — goods
  15. craft — a skill
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mate — to breed
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. craft — boats
  23. march — the month
  24. toast — bread

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