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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. track — a path
  3. clip — a video
  4. object — a thing
  5. mate — a friend
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mate — a partner
  10. press — a publisher
  11. clip — for paper
  12. wound — an injury
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — to breed
  18. clip — to cut
  19. track — to keep track
  20. object — to protest
  21. rest — a break
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rest — what's left

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