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 120 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: tube · leaves · band · rest · scale · stock · cabinet · mark

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. scale — size or range
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. tube — a container
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. stock — goods
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rest — a break
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. scale — in music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — shares
  19. mark — a grade
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — a trace
  24. band — a ring

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