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: ball · bear · rash · cabinet · wind · safe · toast · band

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a dance
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. band — a ring
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. toast — bread
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. band — a music group
  17. rash — a series
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. toast — the most admired

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