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 120 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 · board · stick · pass · current · chest · bowl · suit

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a music group
  10. chest — a box
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. current — electric
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a committee
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — happening now
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chest — of your body
  20. current — of water
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — in cards
  23. band — a ring
  24. chest — of your body

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