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 · saw · band · calf · bowl · roll · pit · stem

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pit — in a race
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — army training
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. roll — a cake
  16. band — a ring
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. saw — the tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. band — a music group
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pit — a hole
  24. band — a rubber band

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