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: bay · roll · nail · rule · drill · mouse · patient · arm

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. drill — the tool
  3. roll — a list
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — government
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. drill — army training
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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