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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. clip — to cut
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pop — soda
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mine — for digging
  8. net — after costs
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — thin
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pop — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. net — in sport
  24. mine — an explosive

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