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: patient · rock · track · drill · vault · band · file · land

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. land — to come down
  6. drill — a practice
  7. band — a music group
  8. vault — a safe
  9. track — to keep track
  10. drill — the tool
  11. land — a country
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rock — music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — a song
  17. file — a document
  18. band — a ring
  19. file — a line of people
  20. land — ground
  21. drill — army training
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. track — a path
  24. file — a tool

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