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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. court — of a king
  4. board — to get on
  5. court — of law
  6. tube — a container
  7. charge — a price
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. charge — in control
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fork — in a road
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. band — a ring
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — for digging
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. board — a committee
  22. court — for sport
  23. band — a music group
  24. fork — a garden tool

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