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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. net — in sport
  16. stem — to come from
  17. track — a song
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. track — a path
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. net — after costs

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