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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. band — a ring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. band — a music group
  7. court — of law
  8. stock — shares
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. rule — government
  12. court — of a king
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. staff — employees
  18. rule — a law
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stock — goods
  22. plane — a tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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