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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. kick — in football
  3. clip — a video
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stock — shares
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. cue — a signal
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. spell — letters
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. clip — to cut
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lie — to recline
  18. clip — for paper
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stock — goods
  21. spell — magic
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kid — to tease
  24. lie — an untruth

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