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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rest — what's left
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. band — a ring
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. shower — rain
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — a break
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rest — what's left

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