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: fork · prune · nail · bound · degree · deal · drill · object

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bound — tied together
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. deal — to handle
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. degree — temperature
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. object — to protest
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — army training
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fork — in a road

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