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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. can — to be able to
  5. swing — in golf
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — army training
  9. rest — a break
  10. drill — a practice
  11. game — a match
  12. current — of water
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. game — wild animals
  21. current — electric
  22. swing — to play on
  23. drill — the tool
  24. clip — to cut

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