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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. band — a ring
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. roll — a cake
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — a list
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. suit — to fit

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