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 · band · rule · bound · cue · bore · key · pitcher

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. band — a music group
  3. rule — a law
  4. key — in music
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. band — a ring
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cue — for pool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rule — government
  22. bound — obliged
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pitcher — a jug

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