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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wound — an injury
  6. charge — in control
  7. club — a group
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — a price
  11. rock — music
  12. club — for golf
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. band — a ring
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — electricity
  18. band — a music group
  19. drill — a practice
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — all right

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