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 120 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: fine · plane · drill · nail · key · hand · bound · file

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — all right
  4. file — a line of people
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — the tool
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. key — the most important part
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bound — obliged
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. key — in music
  23. hand — help
  24. plane — in geometry

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