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 124 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. clip — a video
  3. bass — low music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. staff — employees
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — to recline
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bound — certain
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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