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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. season — of the year
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. season — in sport
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend 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