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: tear · field · rest · nail · scale · suit · saw · drill

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. field — for sport
  4. scale — size or range
  5. drill — army training
  6. field — a subject
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tear — to rip
  9. drill — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. field — farmland
  19. scale — in music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tear — from crying

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