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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stock — goods
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — shares
  8. rock — music
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. clip — to cut
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. last — to go on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. board — a committee
  18. last — finally
  19. row — a line
  20. last — final
  21. clip — for paper
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. calf — a young animal

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