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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. key — for a lock
  10. march — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. band — a ring
  13. march — the month
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. band — a music group
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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