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

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. kick — in football
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. branch — a division
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. file — a document
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. saw — the tool

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