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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — for paper
  3. swing — music
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pop — soda
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. net — after costs
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pop — to visit
  18. net — in sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. net — for catching
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. clip — a video
  24. pass — a permit

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