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 120 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: lash · bore · land · snap · bass · band · court · stand

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. band — a ring
  4. court — of law
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. court — of a king
  10. snap — to click
  11. court — for sport
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. land — a country
  15. band — a music group
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. land — to come down
  19. stand — to bear
  20. land — ground
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bass — low music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. band — a rubber band

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