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 116 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: deal · rock · spell · mate · trunk · board · band · nail

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — magic
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mate — a partner
  7. spell — a short time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. board — to get on
  16. band — a music group
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. spell — letters
  20. mate — to breed
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. band — a ring
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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