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: band · cue · can · hand · hide · ball · rush · wake

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hand — help
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — for pool
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a ring
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rush — hurry

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