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

Word bank: safe · bat · stem · nail · fork · lean · rest · branch

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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