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 · drill · chip · ruler · stem · stick · hide · mouse

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. saw — the tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. drill — army training
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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