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: clip · spell · last · plane · key · mug · pound · suit

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. spell — a short time
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — to cut
  6. pound — a weight
  7. clip — a video
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mug — to rob
  10. suit — in cards
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. last — to go on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. suit — clothes
  21. last — finally
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. last — final

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