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: foot · ball · pound · band · stick · wound · racket · fine

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a ring
  8. fine — all right
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. foot — a measure
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wound — an injury
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — to hit hard

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