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

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. fine — high quality
  3. clip — a video
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. game — wild animals
  8. clip — for paper
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. game — a match
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fine — all right
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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