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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. clip — a video
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stand — to bear
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — for paper
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — boats
  24. pound — for dogs

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