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

Word bank: mark · fall · band · nail · ground · bark · cue · bore

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — to shout
  6. band — a music group
  7. ground — a position
  8. band — a ring
  9. fall — the season
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bore — to tire
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — to drill

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