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 124 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. march — the month
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. band — a music group
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — decided
  17. march — music
  18. band — a ring
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. march — the month

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