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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. face — to confront
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. press — newspapers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. press — a publisher
  7. perch — the fish
  8. press — to push
  9. clip — for paper
  10. root — of a plant
  11. face — part of the head
  12. clip — to cut
  13. cap — a lid
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — the cause
  17. cap — of ice
  18. file — a tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. root — of a word
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cap — a hat
  24. file — a document

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