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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. band — a ring
  5. track — to keep track
  6. net — in sport
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. band — a music group
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bore — to tire
  14. game — a match
  15. track — a path
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. game — wild animals
  19. mug — a face
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ball — a great time

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