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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. board — a committee
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — to get on
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. band — a ring
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. band — a music group
  22. fork — in a road
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. nail — for a hammer

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