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: wake · can · squash · key · nail · sharp · bear · cap

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — in music
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cap — a lid
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. squash — to crush
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. can — a tin

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