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: stick · band · cap · wake · chest · safe · rest · bay

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rest — a break
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. band — a ring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chest — of your body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chest — a box
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cap — a hat
  21. band — a music group
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — a strongbox

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