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: fine · hand · plane · branch · chest · stem · cabinet · pound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. chest — of your body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. hand — help
  19. chest — a box
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hand — in cards

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