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: drill · fan · bank · kick · band · snap · wake · racket

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. drill — army training
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. kick — in football
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. snap — to click

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