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 120 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. bear — the animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. net — in sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — a path
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. track — a song

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