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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. drill — the tool
  8. clip — to cut
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. scale — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. dip — to sink
  17. can — to be able to
  18. drill — army training
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ground — the earth
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. scale — size or range
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lash — to lash 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