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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mine — for digging
  7. content — the amount
  8. rush — hurry
  9. band — a ring
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rule — government
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. content — happy
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rule — a law
  24. band — a music group

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