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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. field — a subject
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — farmland
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — electric
  8. band — a ring
  9. current — happening now
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. field — for sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — of water
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. prune — to trim
  19. band — a music group
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — to trim

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