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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. scale — in music
  3. band — a ring
  4. march — the month
  5. spell — letters
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — for money
  8. march — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — steady
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — a company
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — decided
  23. march — the month
  24. bank — for money

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