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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. net — after costs
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. track — a path
  12. net — for catching
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. net — in sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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