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 124 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. clip — a video
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rush — hurry
  6. clip — to cut
  7. mug — to rob
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. clip — for paper
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mug — a face
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — in music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — a cup

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