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: nail · pitcher · rest · drill · season · face · cap · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. drill — army training
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. face — to confront
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. cap — of ice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — a break
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — a practice

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