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: club · row · pass · roll · current · cap · spell · band

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. club — for golf
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pass — a permit
  6. current — electric
  7. spell — a short time
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. club — a group
  11. band — a ring
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. current — of water
  15. band — a music group
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. roll — a cake
  18. current — happening now
  19. spell — letters
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — a hat
  22. spell — magic
  23. cap — of ice
  24. roll — a list

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