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 · squash · bank · cabinet · wave · degree · nail · bulb

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. degree — temperature
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. degree — an amount
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bulb — for light

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