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 116 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: wind · trunk · mate · clip · plane · wound · object · stick

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. object — an aim
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. object — to protest
  9. mate — a friend
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. object — a thing
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. clip — for paper

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