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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mug — a cup
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a face
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pop — soda
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pass — a permit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. firm — decided
  18. band — a ring
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pop — music

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