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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a ring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bound — tied together
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. content — the amount
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — obliged
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. content — happy
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bound — certain
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. leaves — to go away

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