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: mark · nail · stand · spell · drill · last · staff · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. mark — a grade
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mark — a trace
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — to bear
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. spell — letters
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. last — final
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — army training
  23. spell — magic
  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