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: rock · spell · calf · field · plane · tube · charge · band

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. band — a ring
  6. field — a subject
  7. spell — magic
  8. charge — a price
  9. plane — a tool
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rock — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. charge — electricity
  15. field — for sport
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. field — farmland
  19. band — a music group
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — letters

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