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: wave · chair · clip · press · calf · plane

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. press — to push
  9. chair — a leader
  10. clip — for paper
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. clip — to cut
  18. plane — in geometry

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