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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. clip — to cut
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — to fit
  10. clip — a video
  11. net — after costs
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fine — all right
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — to go on
  21. net — for catching
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. clip — for paper

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