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: roll · firm · fine · rash · cap · last · band · bank

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. last — final
  3. last — finally
  4. rash — a series
  5. last — to go on
  6. firm — decided
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fine — all right
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bank — for money
  17. band — a music group
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — steady
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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