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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. band — a ring
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mate — to breed
  7. swing — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. staff — employees
  10. root — of a word
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — of the year
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mate — a friend
  20. staff — employees
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mate — a partner
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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