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 116 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: nail · chair · stand · branch · clip · lash · fine · stock

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. clip — a video
  6. branch — a division
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. clip — to cut
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. clip — for paper
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fine — high quality
  24. nail — on a finger

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