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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. clip — a video
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. firm — a company
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. clip — for paper
  19. firm — steady
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. sharp — with an edge

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