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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. spring — the season
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. snap — to click
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — of water
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bass — the fish
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bass — low music

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