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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. race — humankind
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. key — the most important part
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — of a river
  13. race — a contest
  14. key — for a lock
  15. band — a music group
  16. bound — obliged
  17. race — the arms race
  18. band — a ring
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bound — certain
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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