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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitch — completely
  5. clip — for paper
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mug — a face
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bat — the animal
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mug — a cup

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