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 116 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: clip · bound · bass · perch · wake · drill · bay · bowl

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — low music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. perch — the fish
  13. clip — a video
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. drill — the tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bound — certain
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. drill — army training

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