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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. clip — a video
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. clip — for paper
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — music
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — a stone
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. snap — to click
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — the bottom

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