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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — a video
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — in control
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. kid — child
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. clip — for paper
  14. game — wild animals
  15. firm — steady
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kid — to tease
  22. firm — decided
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. firm — a company

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