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: branch · last · foot · snap · track · season · can · chest

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. snap — to click
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. last — final
  6. branch — a division
  7. chest — a box
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. track — a path
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — of your body
  16. season — in sport
  17. foot — a measure
  18. season — of the year
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. last — finally
  21. track — a song
  22. can — a tin
  23. last — to go on
  24. chest — of your body

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