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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. clip — a video
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. land — to come down
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rest — a break
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rest — what's left

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