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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. band — a ring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. plane — a tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. cell — a phone
  10. rock — music
  11. band — a music group
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rock — a stone
  15. roll — a list
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cell — in biology

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