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 120 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: snap · trunk · wound · prune · wake · branch · nail · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. prune — to trim
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wound — an injury
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. branch — a division
  14. snap — to click
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wake — a trail
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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