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: stick · board · last · kid · clip · pop · deal · lash

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pop — soda
  4. clip — a video
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. board — to get on
  7. kid — child
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. deal — to handle
  12. last — finally
  13. clip — to cut
  14. last — to go on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. last — final
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — to tease
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pop — to visit

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