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: mate · cabinet · scale · plane · straw · nail · clip · wave

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. scale — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mate — a partner
  18. clip — to cut
  19. scale — size or range
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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