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: drill · arm · snap · ruler · bass · key · mouse · nail

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to click
  4. bass — low music
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bass — the fish
  9. key — the most important part
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — army training
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — part of the body

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