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: fine · band · ruler · coach · last · swing · pit · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. swing — in golf
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. last — to go on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. last — final
  13. pit — a hole
  14. last — finally
  15. pit — in a race
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — all right
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. swing — music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — high quality

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