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: band · rash · toast · temple · date · cap · chip · board

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rash — hasty
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — a committee
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chip — to eat
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cap — a hat
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. cap — a lid
  16. chip — for betting
  17. toast — bread
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a music group
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rash — a series

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