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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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 — a video
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stem — to come from
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — in music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. present — there
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rule — government
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — the most important part
  17. clip — to cut
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — a trail
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rule — a law
  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