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 120 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: shower · bay · bass · ruler · firm · saw · content · cell

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — in biology
  8. saw — the tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. firm — decided
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. shower — to wash
  20. content — happy
  21. bass — low music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. shower — rain
  24. bass — the instrument

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