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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a music group
  3. mug — a face
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. current — of water
  6. field — farmland
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mug — a cup
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. current — electric
  16. mug — to rob
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. band — a ring
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stock — shares
  24. key — in music

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