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 · tear · nail · club · press · bore · season · racket

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — to tire
  7. season — of the year
  8. bore — to drill
  9. band — a music group
  10. tear — to rip
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. band — a ring
  13. season — in sport
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. press — newspapers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for golf
  24. nail — on a finger

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