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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. charge — electricity
  3. clip — to cut
  4. can — a tin
  5. clip — for paper
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. track — a path
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — a song
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. wound — an injury

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