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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — employees
  7. race — a contest
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. staff — a stick
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. clip — to cut
  15. vault — a safe
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. race — the arms race
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. race — humankind
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. squash — to crush

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