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: club · straw · cap · fork · drill · band · fine · nail

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — army training
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fine — high quality
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cap — a hat
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. club — for golf
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. band — a ring
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fine — all right
  21. club — a group
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cap — of ice
  24. club — for dancing

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