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 · key · fork · mark · can · lie · cabinet · pitcher

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. key — for a lock
  12. can — a tin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fork — in a road
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a rubber band

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