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: coach · band · mug · stock · plane · chip · pound · fan

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stock — goods
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a ring
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. chip — for betting
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — a supporter

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