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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. band — a music group
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. club — for dancing
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — a permit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — completely
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. band — a ring
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — to recline

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