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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. file — a tool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. file — a line of people
  10. clip — to cut
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. kid — child
  16. kick — in football
  17. file — a document
  18. fork — in a road
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. clip — for paper
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. kick — a thrill

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