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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. clip — for paper
  3. firm — steady
  4. clip — a video
  5. firm — a company
  6. clip — to cut
  7. board — a committee
  8. cap — a hat
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. hand — help
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — to get on
  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