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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — a permit
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. snap — to click
  13. cell — a phone
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cell — in biology
  19. branch — a division
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cell — in a prison

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