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: bay · rock · wind · arm · date · stick · branch · nail

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — moving air

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