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 · straw · fork · rush · nail · bear · wave · last

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. last — to go on
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. last — finally
  14. rush — hurry
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. last — final

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