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: fall · can · board · suit · season · kid · chest · band

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kid — to tease
  3. band — a ring
  4. suit — clothes
  5. season — in sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kid — child
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. can — to be able to
  14. band — a music group
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — to get on
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. season — of the year
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. season — to add flavour

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