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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. clip — a video
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wind — moving air
  9. clip — to cut
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. clip — for paper
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lean — thin
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — what's left

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