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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. clip — a video
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wake — a trail
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. craft — a skill
  9. can — a tin
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. craft — boats
  12. bass — low music
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. can — a tin
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bass — the fish
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. land — a country
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. can — to be able to

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