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: nail · branch · rock · jam · spring · prune · mouse · face

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. branch — a division
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — the season
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rock — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spring — a coil
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spring — of water
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. face — part of the head

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