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: pitcher · cap · band · ball · bore · bulb · content · fan

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. content — the amount
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a lid
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cap — a hat
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. content — happy
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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