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 120 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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rest — a break
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bound — certain
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chest — a box
  15. band — a music group
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bound — obliged
  24. band — a ring

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