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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. club — a group
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. club — for golf
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. track — a path
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. charge — a price
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a plant
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. track — to keep track
  17. root — the cause
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pit — in a race
  20. track — a song
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — of a word
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — electricity

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