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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — a price
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. club — for dancing
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. club — a group
  17. clip — for paper
  18. charge — in control

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