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: season · ruler · rest · jam · band · pit · mark · nail

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — a break
  5. mark — a grade
  6. season — in sport
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a trace
  9. season — of the year
  10. band — a ring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ruler — for measuring

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