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: straw · firm · wave · band · coach · present · mug · deal

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — there
  4. band — a music group
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — decided
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — a face
  9. band — a ring
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — the time now
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. present — a gift

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