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 · kick · vault · cue · wound · foot · nail · fork

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. kick — in football
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fork — in a road
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. foot — a measure
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wound — an injury

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