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 120 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. clip — to cut
  3. cap — of ice
  4. clip — for paper
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. row — a line
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. clip — a video
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. cap — a lid
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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