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: cap · drill · coach · nail · band · deal · track · lash

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. drill — the tool
  11. track — a path
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. band — a music group
  18. drill — army training
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a song
  21. cap — a lid
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — to handle

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