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: straw · last · wax · nail · bank · branch · safe · plane

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. wax — to grow
  12. last — finally
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bank — for money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — to go on
  17. plane — a tool
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — dry grass

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