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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — a position
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — of water
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for golf
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. spring — the season
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rest — what's left
  22. club — for dancing
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bore — to tire

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