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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. roll — a list
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. field — for sport
  6. bound — obliged
  7. band — a ring
  8. roll — a cake
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rash — hasty
  11. field — farmland
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. board — to get on
  16. bound — tied together
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. board — a committee
  20. wax — to grow
  21. field — a subject
  22. bound — certain
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. band — a music group

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