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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — steady
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. staff — a stick
  6. firm — a company
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rash — a series
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a dance
  13. clip — for paper
  14. current — electric
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. current — happening now
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. clip — to cut
  20. current — of water
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ball — a great time
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — decided

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