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: plane · bat · chip · ball · rush · fan · mouse · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ball — a great time
  11. band — a music group
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bat — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. chip — in a computer

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