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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. current — happening now
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — a break
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. root — of a word
  11. current — of water
  12. swing — music
  13. current — electric
  14. root — of a plant
  15. band — a music group
  16. swing — to play on
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. swing — in golf
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rest — what's left
  23. root — the cause
  24. band — a ring

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