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 120 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 · nail · root · stick · wax · can · pound · wound

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — to grow
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — a tin

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