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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. can — to be able to
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stock — shares
  11. can — a tin
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — goods
  16. clip — to cut
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bound — certain
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mug — a face
  23. game — a match
  24. can — a tin

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