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: present · rock · face · rest · key · deal · drill · band

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a music group
  3. key — for a lock
  4. face — part of the head
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. present — the time now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. key — in music
  11. present — a gift
  12. key — the most important part
  13. present — there
  14. face — to confront
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rest — a break
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. rest — what's left
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rock — a stone
  24. band — a ring

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