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: bank · nail · object · squash · shower · deal · perch · rest

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. deal — to handle
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — a break
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. object — an aim
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — a thing
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. shower — rain
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — to protest
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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