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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mate — a partner
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mate — a friend
  10. clip — to cut
  11. board — a committee
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. board — to get on
  19. file — a tool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. file — a document
  22. saw — the tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. clip — for paper

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