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 · net · bat · hide · season · tube · row · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. net — for catching
  7. season — of the year
  8. bat — the animal
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — a container
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. net — after costs
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. band — a ring
  16. row — a line
  17. net — in sport
  18. row — to paddle
  19. tube — the underground
  20. season — in sport
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. suit — to fit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. band — a music group

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