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: coach · rule · current · bulb · rock · stock · face · band

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. band — a music group
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — of water
  11. rule — a law
  12. current — happening now
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. face — to confront
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rule — government
  18. rock — music
  19. face — to point toward
  20. band — a ring
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. current — electric

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