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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — a stone
  6. scale — size or range
  7. clip — to cut
  8. saw — the tool
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ball — a round shape

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