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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. root — of a plant
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — the month
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. face — to confront
  20. root — the cause
  21. march — the month
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. march — music
  24. root — of a word

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