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: roll · drill · date · cue · nail · fall · saw · chest

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. fall — the season
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chest — a box
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. roll — a list
  7. chest — of your body
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. saw — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — a signal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fall — to drop
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cue — for pool
  24. drill — army training

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