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 120 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: field · cap · object · fork · spell · clip · mug · leaves

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. clip — to cut
  3. fork — in a road
  4. field — farmland
  5. object — to protest
  6. cap — of ice
  7. clip — a video
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — letters
  12. object — an aim
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mug — a cup
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. field — a subject
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mug — a face
  22. field — for sport
  23. object — a thing
  24. leaves — to go away

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