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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rest — what's left
  7. current — electric
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cell — in biology
  14. current — of water
  15. rest — a break
  16. land — ground
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. band — a music group
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cell — a phone

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