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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cue — a signal
  3. band — a ring
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. court — of law
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tear — from crying
  11. band — a music group
  12. tear — to rip
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — of a king
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cue — a hint
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — for sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. cue — for pool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — for a lock

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