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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. can — a tin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. can — to be able to
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — to get on
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wind — moving air
  15. band — a music group
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cell — in biology
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — to confront

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