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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. clip — a video
  4. key — in music
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rule — a law
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rule — government
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. clip — for paper
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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