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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spring — of water
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cap — a hat
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. spring — the season
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. craft — boats
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — a division
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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