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: hide · bank · hand · band · row · bulb · root · season

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. band — a ring
  6. season — of the year
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bank — of a river
  11. band — a music group
  12. bank — for money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. season — in sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. root — the cause
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. hand — help
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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