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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. spell — magic
  3. band — a ring
  4. net — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — of water
  7. net — after costs
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — for catching
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. current — happening now
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. spell — letters
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. current — electric
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spell — a short time
  24. chip — to eat

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