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 124 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — for dancing
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — a stick
  6. land — a country
  7. bore — to tire
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. land — to come down
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bore — to drill
  12. staff — employees
  13. club — a group
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. tube — the underground
  18. club — for golf
  19. land — ground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — clever
  23. tube — a container
  24. sharp — with an edge

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