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: rush · pound · band · charge · fine · firm · tube · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fine — all right
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. charge — a price
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. firm — decided
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rush — hurry
  11. march — the month
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. firm — steady
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. band — a music group
  19. march — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — in control
  24. tube — the underground

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