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: nail · kick · branch · last · ball · cell · cabinet · scale

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. scale — in music
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cell — in biology
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cell — a phone
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. last — final
  19. kick — in football
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cabinet — ministers

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