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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. band — a ring
  6. pound — a weight
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. charge — a price
  10. snap — to click
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. press — to push
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. band — a music group
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. charge — in control
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. charge — electricity

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