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 116 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 · march · mouse · bark · squash · rush · chip · cabinet

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the sport
  21. march — the month
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chip — to eat

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