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: band · board · mug · shower · field · ruler · pop · rule

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. field — for sport
  7. band — a ring
  8. rule — government
  9. board — to get on
  10. field — a subject
  11. board — a committee
  12. mug — a face
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. field — farmland
  16. pop — music
  17. band — a music group
  18. shower — rain
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mug — to rob
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pop — soda

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