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: cabinet · game · current · suit · chest · ground · branch · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. ground — the earth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chest — a box
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — a division
  11. current — of water
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. game — wild animals
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. current — happening now
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. current — electric
  21. game — a match
  22. ground — a position
  23. branch — of a bank
  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