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: board · leaves · band · mate · root · prune · pit · march

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. march — the month
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — the cause
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. band — a ring
  8. prune — to trim
  9. march — the month
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. root — of a word
  12. march — music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pit — in a race
  18. band — a music group
  19. board — a committee
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mate — a partner

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