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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lie — to recline
  7. season — of the year
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wake — a trail
  10. vault — a safe
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cap — a lid
  16. season — in sport
  17. cap — of ice
  18. clip — a video
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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