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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pop — soda
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. band — a music group
  5. present — the time now
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — music
  11. present — there
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rush — hurry
  19. present — a gift
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — to tease
  22. ball — a great time
  23. kid — child
  24. band — a ring

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