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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. clip — for paper
  2. bass — low music
  3. clip — a video
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lie — an untruth
  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