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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. band — a ring
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chip — to eat

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