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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. band — a music group
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. clip — to cut
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. clip — a video
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. staff — employees
  15. fork — in a road
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. foot — a measure
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. staff — employees

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