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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. craft — a skill
  3. clip — a video
  4. chip — for betting
  5. clip — to cut
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lean — thin
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. craft — boats
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — wild animals
  14. clip — for paper
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — to fit
  18. face — to confront
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — a match
  21. face — to point toward
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — to eat
  24. game — a kind of play

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