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: bass · band · calf · pass · racket · stand · bound · tube

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bound — certain
  3. bass — the fish
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pass — a permit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — a container
  12. band — a music group
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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