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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. net — in sport
  3. clip — for paper
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. net — for catching
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. key — the most important part
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. racket — for tennis

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