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: stick · drill · band · spring · wound · key · bowl · press

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. spring — of water
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. band — a music group
  12. key — in music
  13. press — a publisher
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spring — a coil
  17. press — to push
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. press — newspapers
  21. band — a ring
  22. spring — the season
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. key — for a lock

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