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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bark — to shout
  3. content — the amount
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. clip — for paper
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pound — a weight
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. content — happy
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. clip — to cut
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. prune — to trim

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