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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. spell — letters
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stock — shares
  10. spell — magic
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — goods
  13. clip — a video
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a great time
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cue — a hint
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stock — a soup base

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