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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. clip — to cut
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. prune — to trim
  12. field — a subject
  13. clip — for paper
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. band — a ring
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rock — a stone
  21. band — a music group
  22. rock — music
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. lash — to lash out

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