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: squash · nail · object · stick · perch · patient · band · kick

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. object — a thing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. perch — the fish
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. squash — the sport
  20. kick — in football
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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