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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. clip — a video
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. wake — a trail
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. capital — a city
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. clip — for paper
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. suit — clothes
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lash — to lash out

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