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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a great time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. clip — to cut
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. roll — a cake
  11. clip — for paper
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — magic
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rule — government
  16. spell — letters
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. toast — bread
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stem — to come from
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stem — a stem cell

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