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: band · row · drill · foot · bat · current · nail · fork

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. current — of water
  4. drill — the tool
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bat — the animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. fork — in a road
  10. foot — a measure
  11. band — a music group
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. drill — a practice
  14. row — a line
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. current — happening now
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. drill — army training
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fork — to eat with
  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