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: sharp · nail · chest · stick · pass · suit · tear · branch

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tear — to rip
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — a permit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — to fit
  21. tear — from crying
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — clever
  24. branch — of a tree

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