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 120 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: track · cap · band · foot · land · club · bore · wave

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cap — a lid
  9. land — ground
  10. bore — to tire
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. track — a song
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. land — a country
  19. band — a music group
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — to come down

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