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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. current — happening now
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mine — for digging
  11. current — of water
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. board — a committee
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. current — electric
  19. plane — a tool
  20. band — a music group
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. band — a ring
  23. cell — in biology
  24. board — a flat piece

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