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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. band — a music group
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — for digging
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. band — a ring
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. can — a tin
  22. ball — a dance
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a round shape

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