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 124 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — for light
  5. clip — a video
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — from a university
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — an aim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. can — to be able to
  16. clip — for paper
  17. object — to protest
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — an amount
  22. object — a thing
  23. track — a song
  24. can — a tin

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