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 · band · file · season · deal · rush · land · nail

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. band — a ring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. file — a document
  11. land — to come down
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. file — a tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. season — of the year
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. file — a line of people
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. band — a music group
  23. rush — hurry
  24. deal — a big deal

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