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: mate · drill · mug · deal · swing · nail · object · pound

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. drill — army training
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. swing — music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. object — to protest
  9. mate — to breed
  10. object — a thing
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mug — to rob
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — a face
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. object — an aim
  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