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: scale · ball · chest · lie · nail · saw · branch · racket

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. scale — in music
  5. branch — a division
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a great time
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ball — a dance
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. chest — a box
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lie — to recline

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