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: hand · bank · root · bulb · band · vault · nail · bowl

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. band — a ring
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. band — a music group
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hand — help
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. root — of a word
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. root — the cause
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — of a plant

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