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: mark · lean · band · jam · present · bowl · content · fall

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fall — the season
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. present — there
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lean — thin
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. content — happy
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. fall — to drop
  20. band — a music group
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fall — to drop
  23. band — a ring
  24. bowl — a dish

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