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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. spell — magic
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. press — to push
  23. band — a ring
  24. spell — a short time

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