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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. fall — the season
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fine — all right
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fine — high quality
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. band — a ring
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. board — to get on
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. band — a music group

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