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: band · deal · mark · rash · mouse · staff · pound · jam

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mark — a grade
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. band — a music group
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — hasty
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rash — a series
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. deal — to handle
  23. staff — a stick
  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