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 · fine · date · net · can · scale · firm · leaves

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. firm — decided
  3. net — after costs
  4. firm — steady
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. date — the fruit
  9. firm — a company
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. net — for catching
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a music group
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — in music
  19. band — a ring
  20. fine — high quality
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. can — to be able to

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