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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. object — a thing
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. root — the cause
  4. fall — to drop
  5. object — to protest
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fall — to drop
  8. root — of a word
  9. clip — a video
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — an aim
  12. pass — a permit
  13. snap — to click
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. clip — for paper
  19. fall — the season
  20. clip — to cut
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. root — of a plant
  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