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 116 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: ground · suit · fine · bank · coach · scale · band · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ground — a position
  3. suit — to fit
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a music group
  9. fine — high quality
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. scale — size or range
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ground — crushed
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a ring
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — all right
  24. scale — for weighing

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