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: stem · branch · pit · fan · ground · ball · wave · nail

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. branch — a division
  5. ground — a position
  6. stem — to come from
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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