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: fan · hand · band · swing · squash · safe · cabinet · nail

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — to play on
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hand — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. band — a ring
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. squash — the sport
  18. hand — help
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. band — a music group
  24. safe — out of danger

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