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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — of water
  3. kick — in football
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. clip — a video
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wind — moving air
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — the season
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. kick — a thrill

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