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: track · lie · suit · staff · clip · fine · arm · mate

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — to fit
  5. clip — a video
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — in cards
  9. clip — to cut
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — for paper
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fine — all right
  21. track — a song
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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