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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. club — a group
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — a country
  9. club — for golf
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. clip — for paper
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — bread
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. field — for sport
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bulb — for light
  23. land — ground
  24. club — for dancing

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