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: rush · file · drill · branch · nail · deal · safe · game

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — the tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. branch — a division
  12. game — a match
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. game — wild animals
  22. drill — army training
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. nail — for a hammer

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