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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rash — a series
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. band — a ring
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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