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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. shower — rain
  3. object — an aim
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. object — to protest
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bass — low music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. object — a thing
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rule — a law
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — music
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pop — to visit
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pop — soda
  21. clip — for paper
  22. stand — to bear
  23. clip — a video
  24. bass — the fish

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