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: bear · bank · ruler · wave · band · charge · fork · lash

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. charge — in control
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a music group
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — a price
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — to lash out

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