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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — a stone
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. bound — obliged
  17. deal — to handle
  18. band — a music group
  19. bound — certain
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hand — help
  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