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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — thin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. clip — a video
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. chip — for betting
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lean — to bend
  17. net — in sport
  18. rock — music
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rock — a stone
  21. net — for catching
  22. clip — for paper
  23. net — after costs
  24. prune — the fruit

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