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: pit · vault · rash · content · branch · nail · stem · court

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. court — of law
  4. content — the amount
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rash — a series
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. branch — a division
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rash — hasty
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — happy
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stem — to come from
  22. court — for sport
  23. pit — in a race
  24. court — of a king

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