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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. band — a ring
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. bank — for money
  6. squash — the sport
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mark — a grade
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — of a river
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rash — a series
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. band — a music group
  24. squash — to crush

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