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 · pop · straw · press · plane · clip · lie · bowl

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. plane — a tool
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pop — to visit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — soda
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. clip — a video
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. clip — for paper
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pop — music
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lie — to recline
  21. foot — a measure
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bowl — a football final

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