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: straw · wound · saw · rock · scale · drill · present · mouse

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rock — a stone
  13. scale — in music
  14. present — the time now
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — music
  17. present — a gift
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. drill — army training
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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