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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — the amount
  3. clip — a video
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rest — what's left
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rest — a break
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. content — happy
  15. cell — in biology
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — a division
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. clip — to cut

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