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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. lean — thin
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. squash — to crush
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lean — to bend

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