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: tube · cabinet · rush · row · stand · march · straw · clip

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stand — to bear
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. clip — a video
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. clip — to cut
  13. tube — a container
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. march — the month
  20. rush — hurry
  21. tube — the underground
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. march — music
  24. row — a line

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