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 · face · nail · branch · cue · bound · bark · staff

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. staff — employees
  3. face — part of the head
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. face — to point toward
  9. staff — a stick
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bark — to shout
  14. snap — to click
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — a hint
  23. branch — a division
  24. nail — on a finger

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