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: bank · bay · file · stem · nail · object · trunk · tear

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — an aim
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bank — for money
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tear — from crying
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — for money
  11. tear — from crying
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tear — to rip
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. file — a tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. file — a document
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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