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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. dip — to sink
  3. suit — in cards
  4. clip — to cut
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. clip — a video
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. chip — to eat
  14. squash — the sport
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. face — part of the head
  24. dip — to dunk

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