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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. band — a ring
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. band — a music group
  21. bound — obliged
  22. swing — to play on
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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