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 · roll · ruler · drill · club · stem · squash · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the sport
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. club — for dancing
  10. drill — army training
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. squash — to crush
  17. drill — a practice
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. club — a group
  23. stem — to come from
  24. club — for golf

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