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: coach · lean · temple · bass · bound · drill · mine · band

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — low music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. drill — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mine — for digging
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bound — certain
  22. band — a ring
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bass — the fish

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