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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. swing — to play on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — hasty
  8. band — a music group
  9. swing — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. club — a group
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a grade
  17. club — for dancing
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. club — for golf
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rash — a series

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