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: bay · bound · trunk · hand · nail · band · stand · key

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a ring
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bound — certain
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. key — for a lock
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. key — in music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. hand — help
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bound — obliged

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