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: craft · plane · band · ruler · row · chair · lie · pound

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. band — a music group
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pound — a weight
  10. row — to paddle
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a ring
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. chair — a leader
  23. plane — a tool
  24. row — a line

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