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: mug · net · rest · clip · bat · fine · mate · can

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mug — to rob
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. net — after costs
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — the animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. can — to be able to
  11. net — for catching
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mug — a cup
  15. net — in sport
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — a tin
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fine — all right

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