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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. band — a ring
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a music group
  11. wax — to grow
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — help
  20. stem — to come from
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hand — in cards
  24. ruler — for measuring

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