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: pitcher · fine · current · drill · rest · band · staff · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — the tool
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fine — all right
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. current — electric
  18. fine — high quality
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rest — a break
  24. current — of water

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