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 116 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: drill · band · can · spring · scale · bear · cue · pit

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spring — of water
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pit — in a race
  11. drill — the tool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. drill — army training
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pit — a hole
  16. scale — size or range
  17. band — a ring
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — in music
  21. spring — the season
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cue — for pool
  24. can — to be able to

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