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 120 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: branch · lash · wake · court · game · stick · nail · row

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. court — of a king
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. court — of law
  15. wake — a trail
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. court — for sport
  18. branch — a division
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a match
  24. wake — before a funeral

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