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: cabinet · hide · nail · clip · cell · plane · track · prune

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — a path
  7. clip — for paper
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. track — to keep track
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. track — a song
  13. cell — a phone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cell — in biology
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — a video
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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