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: chip · perch · deal · rash · row · date · pitcher · nail

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. row — a line
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. date — the fruit
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rash — hasty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chip — to eat
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chip — for betting

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