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: roll · nail · bank · bulb · deal · wound · band · wax

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wound — an injury
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. band — a ring
  10. roll — a list
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bank — for money
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wax — to grow
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bank — for money
  22. band — a music group
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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