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: object · bay · degree · band · patient · can · rash · scale

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — in music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — a series
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. band — a music group
  11. object — a thing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. degree — temperature
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — hasty
  16. band — a ring
  17. object — to protest
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. object — an aim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. can — to be able to

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