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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. drill — the tool
  3. content — happy
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bank — of a river
  7. tube — a container
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. last — final
  11. bank — for money
  12. last — to go on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. drill — army training
  20. pound — a weight
  21. content — the amount
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. nail — on a finger

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