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: saw · plane · prune · clip · roll · drill · fine · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bass — the fish
  4. clip — to cut
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fine — all right
  13. prune — to trim
  14. drill — army training
  15. prune — to trim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. clip — for paper
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. clip — a video
  22. drill — the tool
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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