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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — a company
  5. prune — to trim
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a committee
  12. band — a music group
  13. row — a line
  14. firm — decided
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a ring
  17. row — to paddle
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. roll — a list
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — steady

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