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 120 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: can · pass · clip · chip · patient · sharp · kick · key

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. kick — in football
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. can — a tin
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. clip — to cut
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. clip — for paper
  23. chip — to eat
  24. sharp — clever

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