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 124 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. clip — to cut
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. clip — for paper
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ball — a dance
  12. row — to paddle
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. row — a line
  15. staff — employees
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. dip — to sink
  20. staff — employees
  21. clip — a video
  22. mug — a face
  23. ball — a great time
  24. staff — a stick

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