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 120 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: rest · rule · band · board · cap · row · calf · mug

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rest — a break
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — a hat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — a line
  11. mug — a cup
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — a committee
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — to get on
  23. rule — government
  24. band — a music group

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