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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. club — a group
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rush — hurry
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. club — for dancing
  9. charge — electricity
  10. clip — for paper
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. clip — a video
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fall — the season
  18. club — for golf
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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