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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ground — the earth
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cap — of ice
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rock — music
  12. roll — a list
  13. ground — a position
  14. clip — to cut
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. clip — a video
  24. racket — for tennis

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