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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. march — music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a music group
  9. march — the month
  10. can — a tin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — a division
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. march — the month
  23. sharp — exactly
  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