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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — for golf
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fine — high quality
  10. present — a gift
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — to rob
  13. present — there
  14. clip — a video
  15. mug — a face
  16. lie — to recline
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. present — the time now
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fine — all right
  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