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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · tube · wake · drill · season · band

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. tube — the underground
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. face — to confront
  11. drill — army training
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. face — to point toward
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. drill — a practice
  17. band — a ring
  18. season — of the year

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