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: band · stem · hand · scale · mark · bark · drill · ball

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. drill — a practice
  3. scale — size or range
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hand — in cards
  8. ball — a great time
  9. band — a music group
  10. mark — a grade
  11. drill — army training
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. hand — help
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ball — a dance
  18. drill — the tool
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. band — a ring
  24. stem — to come from

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