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: snap · key · cold · trunk · cabinet · pass · saw · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. cold — not warm
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. snap — to click
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cold — an illness
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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