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 · jam · suit · ball · degree · field · mate · stand

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mate — a friend
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — clothes
  8. field — a subject
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mate — a partner
  12. degree — from a university
  13. field — for sport
  14. degree — an amount
  15. field — farmland
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. band — a ring
  21. degree — temperature
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a dance

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