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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pop — soda
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. row — a line
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rush — hurry
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pop — music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. clip — for paper
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. row — a quarrel

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