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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. drill — army training
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bulb — for light
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. capital — a city
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. band — a music group
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. band — a ring
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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