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: deal · band · scale · wind · bound · foot · club · jam

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bound — certain
  5. scale — size or range
  6. band — a ring
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wind — moving air
  9. club — for dancing
  10. scale — in music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bound — obliged
  13. club — a group
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. club — for golf
  16. bound — tied together
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. band — a music group

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