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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. present — the time now
  4. cue — a signal
  5. clip — to cut
  6. present — a gift
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cell — in biology
  9. clip — a video
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. present — there
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hand — help

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