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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. clip — a video
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. season — of the year
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mug — a face
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — a cup
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — to get on
  21. season — in sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. clip — for paper
  24. board — a committee

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