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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. shower — to wash
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ground — the earth
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ground — a position
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. drill — army training
  15. saw — the tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  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