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: cabinet · squash · club · rush · stem · foot · key · nail

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. squash — the sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. club — a group
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stem — to come from
  10. key — in music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. club — for golf
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rush — hurry
  24. key — for a lock

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