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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. clip — a video
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a great time
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. arm — part of the body

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