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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. squash — the sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — to paddle
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. band — a ring
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. squash — to crush
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. cap — of ice

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