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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · root · temple · ball · rock · band · chair · mouse

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. band — a ring
  5. ball — a dance
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — music
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chair — a leader
  11. root — the cause
  12. band — a music group
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a great time
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — a stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. root — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. ball — a round shape

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