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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. clip — a video
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bore — to tire
  6. clip — to cut
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bound — certain
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — for paper
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cold — not warm
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — a strongbox

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