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: spring · face · root · calf · band · spell · firm · nail

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spring — a coil
  7. band — a music group
  8. face — to point toward
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — the cause
  15. firm — decided
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. face — to confront
  19. firm — steady
  20. band — a ring
  21. spring — of water
  22. spell — letters
  23. face — part of the head
  24. firm — a company

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