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: sharp · spring · nail · calf · safe · squash · shower · rock

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. squash — the sport
  3. sharp — clever
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rock — music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spring — of water
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — a coil
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. squash — the vegetable

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