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: deal · field · band · coach · bear · bore · tube · mug

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a music group
  3. field — a subject
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tube — a container
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. tube — the underground
  11. band — a ring
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. field — for sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. field — farmland
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — a face

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