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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hand — help
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. root — of a word
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. band — a ring
  17. can — a tin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fork — in a road
  23. can — a tin
  24. root — the cause

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