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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. band — a ring
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — a series
  6. craft — boats
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. band — a music group
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lie — to recline

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