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: bass · ruler · rule · track · squash · sharp · deal · nail

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. deal — to handle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — a path
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. track — to keep track
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bass — low music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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