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: track · wake · bound · pop · bat · band · chip · suit

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bat — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. suit — to fit
  6. track — a song
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bound — tied together
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. track — a path
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wake — a trail
  15. band — a ring
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pop — music
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bound — certain
  24. track — to keep track

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