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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. clip — to cut
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. clip — for paper
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. clip — a video
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — to breed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mate — a friend
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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