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: face · pass · clip · temple · arm · swing · ruler · ball

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. ball — a great time
  3. face — to confront
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. clip — a video
  6. pass — a permit
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. clip — to cut
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a dance
  18. face — to point toward
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pass — to spend time

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