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: saw · rule · mark · straw · band · spell · can · chair

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rule — a law
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — magic
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. can — to be able to
  7. band — a ring
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. chair — a leader
  13. spell — a short time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rule — government
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. spell — letters
  24. straw — dry grass

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