Fillins

Fill-ins is a term used across several domains to describe content, roles, or actions that fill a gap when something is missing or temporarily unavailable. The meaning varies by context, but the unifying idea is substitution, completion, or bridging.

Education and testing

In education, fill-ins typically refer to fill-in-the-blank items where learners supply missing words or phrases in a sentence or passage. This format is common in worksheets, exams, and language practice. A related concept is the cloze test, in which multiple words are removed from a text. Fill-ins assess recall, comprehension, and vocabulary, but can be influenced by ambiguous wording or cues.

Broadcasting and media

In radio or television, a fill-in host or fill-in episode is a temporary replacement for a regular presenter or program when the primary host is unavailable. Fill-ins may be scheduled in advance or arranged on short notice and are often used to maintain continuity, audience engagement, and programming slots.

Music

In music, a fill-in (or fill) is a short instrumental passage that bridges phrases or sections, typically played by drums, bass, or another instrument. Drum fills, for example, signal transitions between sections and add musical emphasis. Fills vary in length and complexity and are common in jazz, rock, funk, and pop.

Sports

In sports, a fill-in player refers to an athlete who temporarily replaces a teammate who is injured, suspended, or otherwise unavailable. Fill-ins help maintain team performance and depth, and their use is often situational, lasting until the regular player returns.

Other uses

In publishing or production workflows, fill-ins can denote placeholder text or elements used during layout or planning, later replaced with final content.