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: rule · root · scale · racket · clip · pop · key · vault

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rule — government
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. clip — for paper
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — a safe
  8. scale — in music
  9. pop — music
  10. key — in music
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pop — soda
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pop — to visit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rule — a law
  23. root — of a plant
  24. clip — to cut

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