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: staff · branch · cap · prune · last · nail · current · lie

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. current — electric
  6. branch — a division
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — to trim
  11. current — of water
  12. cap — of ice
  13. current — happening now
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cap — a lid
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. last — final
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. nail — for a hammer

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