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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. clip — a video
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. squash — the sport
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. saw — the tool
  20. clip — to cut
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. clip — for paper

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