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: patient · band · bank · mug · drill · mark · court · vault

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. court — of law
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mug — a cup
  9. drill — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. band — a music group
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — a trace
  14. drill — army training
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. band — a ring
  20. drill — a practice
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a grade
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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