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: band · march · field · safe · shower · bore · deal · stock

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. march — music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. field — farmland
  6. band — a ring
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. march — the month
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stock — goods
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bore — to tire
  21. march — the month
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. band — a music group
  24. safe — out of danger

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