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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. spell — a short time
  3. band — a music group
  4. plane — a tool
  5. current — of water
  6. bass — low music
  7. club — for dancing
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. current — electric
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — magic
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. current — happening now
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. band — a ring
  23. club — a group
  24. spell — letters

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