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 · arm · bulb · wake · branch · mate · mark · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rule — government
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mate — a friend
  19. branch — a division
  20. mark — a grade
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bulb — for light

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