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: bay · suit · band · vault · fine · rule · cap · kid

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. band — a music group
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fine — high quality
  5. suit — clothes
  6. band — a ring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cap — of ice
  15. kid — child
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — a law
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rule — government
  22. kid — to tease
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rule — to rule out

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