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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. row — a line
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spell — a short time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. spell — magic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — low music
  15. stand — to bear
  16. row — to paddle
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. chair — a leader
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. chair — a professorship

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