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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. key — in music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. clip — a video
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stand — to bear
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rule — a law
  16. clip — to cut
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rule — to rule out

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