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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · swing · stem · pass · vault · fork

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — to cut
  3. vault — a safe
  4. clip — a video
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fork — in a road
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. clip — for paper
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. swing — music
  18. pass — to succeed

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