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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bound — certain
  5. clip — a video
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — tied together
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. swing — in golf
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bass — the fish
  12. object — a thing
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — obliged
  16. object — to protest
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. toast — bread
  20. object — an aim
  21. bass — low music
  22. clip — for paper
  23. swing — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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