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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — clothes
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. field — a subject
  5. plane — a tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. clip — to cut
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — the time now
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. clip — for paper
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. present — there
  16. perch — the fish
  17. field — for sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. snap — to click
  23. field — farmland
  24. clip — a video

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