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: nail · game · degree · perch · squash · bay · saw · object

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. squash — the sport
  3. object — a thing
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. game — a match
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. degree — an amount
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. degree — temperature
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. object — an aim
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. object — to protest
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. perch — the fish

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