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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mark — a grade
  4. court — of a king
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mug — a cup
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. court — of law
  15. bass — low music
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a ring
  19. mark — a trace
  20. court — for sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bass — the instrument

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