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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. spell — letters
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. spell — a short time
  21. clip — to cut
  22. spell — magic
  23. suit — in cards
  24. leaves — lets stay

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