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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. craft — boats
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bass — low music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. clip — a video
  8. suit — to fit
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — a face
  15. clip — to cut
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bass — the fish

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