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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. object — an aim
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chip — to eat
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. chip — for betting
  9. content — the amount
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. object — to protest
  12. clip — a video
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. clip — for paper
  22. content — happy
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. content — videos and posts

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