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: kid · band · present · key · current · club · lash · rock

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. kid — to tease
  4. current — of water
  5. rock — music
  6. present — a gift
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. current — electric
  12. rock — a stone
  13. club — for dancing
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. key — the most important part
  16. band — a music group
  17. present — the time now
  18. kid — child
  19. current — happening now
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. club — a group
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. present — there
  24. club — for golf

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