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: ball · cap · band · cabinet · board · mark · toast · chest

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cap — a hat
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ball — a dance
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. chest — a box
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — a lid
  15. band — a ring
  16. chest — of your body
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. band — a music group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. chest — of your body
  24. board — a committee

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