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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. race — the arms race
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. row — to paddle
  9. staff — employees
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. staff — a stick
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — steady
  14. row — a line
  15. clip — to cut
  16. net — for catching
  17. firm — a company
  18. clip — for paper
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a great time
  21. firm — decided
  22. ball — a dance
  23. net — in sport
  24. staff — employees

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