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: mouse · tube · saw · date · suit · bark · fall · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. suit — in cards
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — the underground
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. tube — a container
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bark — to shout
  24. band — a ring

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