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: toast · band · face · vault · shower · mate · ruler · pit

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mate — a partner
  4. shower — to wash
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. shower — rain
  7. face — to confront
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. toast — bread
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. face — to point toward
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pit — in a race

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