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: tube · staff · firm · sharp · branch · net · nail · field

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. field — a subject
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. field — farmland
  5. net — in sport
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. net — after costs
  9. firm — decided
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. staff — employees
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. staff — a stick
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. field — for sport
  18. tube — a container
  19. staff — employees
  20. tube — the underground
  21. net — for catching
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. branch — a division

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