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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. object — an aim
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. clip — a video
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. vault — a safe
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. clip — to cut
  15. fork — in a road
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. object — a thing
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — to protest
  21. bound — tied together
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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