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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. fine — high quality
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fork — in a road
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fine — all right
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. drill — army training
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. drill — the tool
  14. spell — letters
  15. drill — a practice
  16. band — a music group
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. spell — magic

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