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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. present — the time now
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pop — music
  11. bass — low music
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — soda
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. present — there
  18. band — a ring
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bass — the fish
  21. object — a thing
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mine — for digging

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