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 116 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. firm — decided
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. clip — to cut
  6. firm — a company
  7. wake — a trail
  8. kick — in football
  9. firm — steady
  10. object — an aim
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. clip — a video
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cap — of ice
  15. object — a thing
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cap — a lid
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. object — to protest
  23. cap — a hat
  24. kick — with a leg

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