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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. band — a ring
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hand — in cards
  7. band — a music group
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hand — help
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fine — all right
  13. key — in music
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stem — to come from
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bark — of a tree

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