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: squash · hide · mouse · pass · straw · content · nail · ground

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ground — the earth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ground — a position
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — crushed
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. content — happy
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. content — the amount

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