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: season · foot · scale · branch · nail · squash · staff · perch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. perch — the fish
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. scale — size or range
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. season — in sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. branch — a division
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. squash — to crush
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. season — of the year
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. foot — a measure
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. squash — the sport
  24. scale — in music

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