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: mate · shower · drill · cabinet · saw · can · plane · straw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mate — to breed
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. shower — rain
  12. mate — a friend
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. drill — the tool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mate — a partner
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. shower — to wash
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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