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 · fall · saw · file · bowl · bound · wave · trunk

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bound — tied together
  7. file — a line of people
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bound — obliged
  11. file — a document
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. saw — the tool
  15. file — a tool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bound — certain
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. clip — to cut
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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