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: mine · coach · pop · bound · rock · wax · band · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. band — a ring
  3. pop — music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pop — soda
  8. mine — for digging
  9. band — a music group
  10. pop — to visit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wax — to grow
  24. hide — to keep secret

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