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 116 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: band · charge · mark · nail · swing · tear · branch · bore

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. band — a music group
  3. branch — a division
  4. mark — a trace
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. swing — music
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a ring
  13. bore — to tire
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. nail — on a finger
  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