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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. clip — for paper
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rock — a stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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