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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. clip — to cut
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. clip — a video
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spring — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — the fish
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bank — of a river
  24. trunk — of a car

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