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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fork — in a road
  6. game — a match
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stock — shares
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pop — music
  18. game — wild animals
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stock — goods
  24. pop — soda

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