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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mark — a trace
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lie — to recline
  5. court — of a king
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. clip — a video
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — a partner
  12. clip — for paper
  13. court — for sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mate — to breed
  19. charge — a price
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. charge — in control
  24. nail — on a finger

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