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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. band — a music group
  4. rock — music
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bore — to drill
  13. band — a ring
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. last — to go on

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