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 124 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spring — the season
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. branch — a division
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. drill — army training
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bear — to put up with

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