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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. clip — to cut
  5. rest — a break
  6. wake — a trail
  7. tube — the underground
  8. season — of the year
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. tube — a container
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. clip — a video
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mug — a face
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — a tool
  20. season — in sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rest — what's left

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