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: rash · mate · stand · kick · foot · band · content · row

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. band — a music group
  3. rash — hasty
  4. row — to paddle
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. kick — in football
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — to bear
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. band — a ring
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. row — a line
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. content — the amount
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. content — happy
  24. kick — a thrill

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