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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. present — a gift
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bear — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. present — the time now
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a ring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bank — of a river
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — in cards
  24. present — there

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