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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pit — in a race
  4. spell — a short time
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. spell — magic
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. race — humankind
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. row — a line
  12. pass — a permit
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. band — a ring
  16. bark — to shout
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — a contest
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pit — a hole
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — letters

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