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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bank — for money
  4. track — a path
  5. rock — a stone
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rock — music
  8. band — a ring
  9. cap — of ice
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pit — in a race
  17. track — a song
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bank — for money
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rock — to move gently

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