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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. clip — to cut
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rule — government
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. perch — the fish
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — for paper
  16. rule — a law
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. field — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. field — farmland
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. field — a subject

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