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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — the tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. band — a music group
  9. pop — music
  10. present — there
  11. bound — tied together
  12. face — part of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — to eat
  15. drill — a practice
  16. face — to confront
  17. bound — certain
  18. band — a ring
  19. present — the time now
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — army training
  24. face — to point toward

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