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: band · bank · rock · lash · object · wave · bear · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. rock — music
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. band — a ring
  12. bank — for money
  13. band — a music group
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. object — to protest
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — of water
  19. object — an aim
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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