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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. drill — army training
  4. clip — a video
  5. swing — in golf
  6. land — to come down
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. swing — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. foot — a measure
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. clip — for paper
  15. object — an aim
  16. cue — a hint
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cue — for pool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. clip — to cut

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