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: lash · capital · cell · nail · band · lie · leaves · current

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — happening now
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. band — a ring
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cell — in biology
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. capital — a city
  15. cell — a phone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — of a tree

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