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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kid — child
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. band — a ring
  24. bulb — for light

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