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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. clip — a video
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. clip — for paper
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mug — a cup
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bore — to tire
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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