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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rash — a series
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. date — the fruit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. present — a gift
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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