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: branch · racket · season · fine · cap · content · nail · snap

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. season — in sport
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fine — high quality
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. snap — to click
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. cap — a lid
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. branch — a division
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. branch — of a bank

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