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: foot · bass · clip · mate · kid · press · plane · kick

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. press — newspapers
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mate — to breed
  7. press — to push
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kick — in football
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mate — a partner
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bass — the fish
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bass — low music
  19. mate — a friend
  20. kid — child
  21. clip — for paper
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. press — a publisher

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