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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bank — of a river
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. band — a ring
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. band — a music group
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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