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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. tube — a container
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — a lid
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cap — a hat
  11. clip — a video
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cap — of ice

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