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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. present — there
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. present — a gift
  10. row — to paddle
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. land — a country
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — to cut
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stand — to bear
  20. present — the time now
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. row — a line
  24. deal — to handle

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