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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · cell · bay · object · chair · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cell — in biology
  3. band — a ring
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cell — a phone
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. object — to protest
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. object — an aim
  18. toast — bread

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