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 116 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rash — hasty
  6. face — part of the head
  7. perch — the fish
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mug — a face
  12. root — of a word
  13. net — in sport
  14. clip — a video
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — after costs
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. face — to confront
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. face — to point toward
  21. net — for catching
  22. root — the cause
  23. rash — a series
  24. root — of a plant

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