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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. firm — steady
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — to rob
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. court — of law
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. court — of a king
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — a stone
  21. court — for sport
  22. clip — to cut
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rock — music

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